Heartbound Weapon by TheConflictedWriter

Heartbound

Weapon (any, typically a sword), shield, or spellcasting focus (any, typically a rod), artifact (requires attunement)

A heartbound is a tool of legend. Originally crafted for monks that had striven to maintain a balance between the forces of light and dark, the secrets of cradting such weapons were shared with the world, for better or worse. A heartbound is, most commonly, forged out of the power of a person's heart, making the weapon the literal strength of their heart. However, it's possible to gain a heartbound from someone else. This is most often a teacher to a student, but another stealing a heartbound has happened plenty of times in history.

The original purpose of a heartbound was to protect the multiverse, as the weapon gives one the power to traverse the 'doors' between them, able to walk between planes with relative ease. A person wielding a heartbound is one of the very, very few people that can navigate the the world that connects all worlds, Sigil, The City of Doors, and it's hidden, winding pathways, and are thus well loved by the traders that a heartbound wielder decides to work with. They are also the only people the Lady of Pain, Sigil's mysterious ruler, won't destroy on sight so long as they respect her all the other ways known to respect her.

In a time long past, a great war was had between several wielders of their own heartbound, vying for control of a powerful force thought to be the source of all life. Light and darkness, good and evil, souls and hearts. Even all gods supposedly came from this creation force. All who fought in this war carried a heartbound, and there were almost no survivors. Due to this, heartbound belonging to those with particularly strong hearts were scattered across the many worlds, existing in either physical forms or as amorphous energy. In the latter case, it's possible for a heartbound to appear to someone in dire need or with a particularly strong heart. In some worlds, it's possible for someone to have a heartbound and never know its origin.

The creation of a heartbound requires a special ritual, which must be led by a wielder of a heartbound who is at least level 13, with the wielder who wants to turn their heart into power present during its entirety. The ritual is performed over the course of a work week, using 3000 GP worth of materials representing a specially treated version of the desired materials and magical tools used to transfer power into the heartbound, gaining the strength of the desired wielder's heart. The weapon will gain any special properties of the material used, along with other special properties decided by the desired wielder's heart, affecting the weapon's appearance and abilities.

For example, a chosen wielder with an affinity for water and magic might make a weapon that reflects a flowing stream that sparkles like diamonds. But if the wielder thinks of a stormy sea, their weapon could reflect the a harsh wave, or have a spark of lightning. The types and styles of heartbound are as infinite as the hearts of people.

Upon creation, a heartbound is given a name by its wielder. This name becomes etched into its very being; anyone who wields and becomes attuned to a heartbound immediately knows its name and its abilities they are high enough level to use.

Heartbound Properties

The following assumes you are making a heartbound after completing the special ritual. If you find a heartbound, often its properties will be decided beforehand. A heartbound can change itself to suit the new wielder if the heart behind it is flexible enough. The section at the end of this document has example heartbound.

A heartbound will also not give all its abilities to a wielder immediately, even if its previous owner trained hard with the weapon. The power of a heartbound is determined by, of course, the wielder's heart. The heart it was made from merely decides the form of this power. At 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th level, a heartbound will give its wielder new abilities regardless of how long they've possessed their heartbound, so long as the weapon allows itself to be wielded.

Chosen. Heartbound possess a vague, hard to define form of sentience. While a heartbound seemingly has no definition of good or evil, as anyone can wield a weapon, a heartbound tends to favor those with stronger wills. To use a heartbound, a creature must have a Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score of 12 or higher, but may choose not to allow someone to wield it anyway. Heartbound choose their wielders as much as wielders choose their heartbound, and a wielder can only ever have one at a time.

Bound to Your Heart. When a heartbound is yours, it is part of your being. While attuned to a heartbound and holding it, you are able to dismiss it to the confines of your heart, no action required, and the weapon does not appear anywhere on your person. You are then able to summon it to your hand as a bonus action.

If the heartbound is within 60 feet of you and you are able to see it, you can use a bonus action to summon it to your hand, the weapon teleporting to you. If another creature is holding your heartbound while you are trying to summon it and wishes to keep it, you both make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check in a contest (each creature chooses). If you win, the weapon returns to your hand. If the opposing creature wins, it stays in their grasp.

A Special Heart. Every heartbound is born from someone's heart, so is often shaped by their quirks. Like many artifacts, a heartbound bears properties that can be randomly decided. Unlike the to more helpful and hampering minor beneficial and detrimental effects, these quirks tend to manifest in small ways, though using those effects found in the Dungeon Master's Guide (pg. 219) would be a good place to start. Typically, a heartbound will exasperate a good and bad quality of a person's heart. These effects are determined at the weapon's creation and, while attuned, impose these effects on the wielder.

When making a heartbound's effects, consider what the person was like who it was originally made from. If they liked animals and got along well with them, the positive quirk might be proficiency in the animal handling skill. If they were shy around other people, it might impose disadvantage on Charisma checks while in a room of multiple people.

This effect applies even if the heartbound being used is from one's own heart; it merely exacerbates qualities they already have, as their heart is now being shown clearly. This might manifest positively in gaining advantage on a skill the character particularly likes, or an increase in swimming or walking speeds. It might manifest negatively by making their flaw more intense, gaining disadvantage in a skill they don't have proficiency in, or finding it harder to connect to other people. Whatever the effects, they should be somewhat unique to each heartbound.

Destroying a Heartbound Weapon. Generally, a heartbound can never be completely destroyed. While it's physical form can be destroyed the same way a normal object of it's nature could be, it will reform in the wielder's heart instantly, or appear somewhere else on its current plane in a dulled state, waiting to be awakened.

The original wielder whose heart made the heartbound must have any influence they've had on existence be completely removed. This is basically impossible, as even a Wish spell might not manage that.

Style

A heartbound can take on many forms, but the initial form it takes represents the focus of its abilities. This gives the heartbound additional effects as its wielder grows stronger. Choose Sword, Shield, or Rod. This choice effects what abilities the heartbound gains in all features for it.

Sword. The heartbound weapon takes on the form of a typical weapon. Choose any weapon you are proficient with. The heartbound weapon gains that weapon's properties. If the weapon requires ammunition, the weapon magically creates it as needed. If the weapon has the thrown or light property, you can make multiples of the weapon appear in your hands on your turn while attacking, but only for the purpose of attacking (for all intents and purposes you still only have one weapon that you can be disarmed of and any copies of your weapon vanish after a few seconds). This includes while using a bonus action to attack while using two weapon fighting.
Shield. Your heartbound takes on the form of a shield, gaining all the normal properties of a shield. You can attack with your heartbound shield. Your shield has the finesse property and deals 1d6 bludgeoning damage on a successful hit. You must be proficient with shields to use this heartbound weapon.
Rod. Your heartbound weapon takes on the form of a magical focus to be used for spellcasting. The focus can be anything from a wand to a rod to a staff to a lute to a sitar. The shape of the focus does not matter; no matter your class, a heartbound focus can be used to cast spells. When you make a heartbound focus, choose a damage type for this magical focus. When you deal the chosen damage type, you can roll the damage dice twice and take the higher result.

The heartbound weapon can be used as a physical weapon. It has the finesse property and deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage. You must have the spellcasting feature or pact magic feature to use this weapon.

Regardless of the shape the weapon takes, the heartbound is considered magical and can be used as a spellcasting focus for any spells you know.

Heartbound Magic

Every heartbound manifests its original wielder's heart in the form of magic. Each heartbound receive a cantrip and five spells, level 1st through 5th, that they gain at different total class levels.

Sword and Shield. The heartbound weapon or shield bestows a cantrip to the wielder. You gain a 1st level spell at 2nd level, a 2nd level spell at 5th level, a 3rd level spell at 9th level, a 4th level spell at 13th level, and a 5th level spell at 17th level.
Rod. The heartbound focus bestows a cantrip to the wielder. At 1st level spell you gain a 1st level spell. You gain a 2nd level spell at 3rd level, a 3rd level spell at 5th level, a 4th level spell at 7th level, and a 5th level spell at 9th level.

While attuned to a heartbound, you know the spells of the appropriate level to your weapon. Your spellcesting ability for these spells is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (chosen at the weapon's creation). You are able to cast each spell of 1st level and higher the heartbound bestows you once, and regain each use of a spell after finishing a long rest. At 13th level, you regain the use of these spells after finishing a short or long rest. While attuned to a heartbound, these spells are also considered spells for any spellcasting class you have levels in, and can spend spell slots to cast these spells if you possess them. You must have your heartbound in your hands to use the spells it bestows on you.

You treat your heartbound as the material component for spells it has, ignoring GP value of materials. A material component that is consumed must be used as normal spellcasting rules.

The spells a heartbound gain are a reflection of the original wielder's heart, and are decided at the weapon's creation. As much as they are a reflection of who the wielder is, they can be just as much a reflection of what the wielder wants to be for the spells they are not yet high enough level for. The spells are typically themed around an element or a idea, such as electric damage, thievery, or light. Once the spells have been decided for a heartbound, they cannot be changed under normal circumstances. A heartbound may change its spells to match its new wielder, but will generally try to have a similar theme in the spells chosen.

Talk to your DM about what spells you want your heartbound to possess and what theme it should have.

Growing Power

As you travel the world and the worlds, the connections you make, for better or worse, strengthen your heart. Your heartbound grows in power as you do. This power starts to manifest at 5th level.

Sword. Your heartbound weapon becomes a finer and finer weapon as your heart becomes stronger. At 5th level, your weapon gains a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls. At 9th level this becomes a +2 bonus. At 13th level this becomes a +3 bonus. At 17th level, this becomes a +4 bonus. You cannot be wielding a shield or a different focus for spellcasting at the same time as your heartbound weapon and gain this benefit.
Shield. You become more adept with using your shield, understanding that one should guard themselves with their heart, not guard their heart. At 5th level, your heartbound shield provides a +1 bonus to your AC. At 9th level this becomes a +2 bonus. At 13th level this becomes a +3 bonus. At 17th level, this becomes a +4 bonus. You cannot be wielding a weapon or different focus for spellcasting at the same time as your heartbound shield and gain this benefit. This bonus is in addition to the normal AC bonus provided by a shield.
Rod. Your heartbound focus's control of magic becomes ever more powerful. At 5th level, you gain a +1 bonus to your spell attack modifier, and a +1 bonus to your spell's saving throw DC. At 9th level this becomes a +2 bonus. At 13th level this becomes a +3 bonus. At 17th level, this becomes a +4 bonus. You cannot be wielding a shield or weapon at the same time as your heartbound rod and gain this benefit.

On Different Classes Getting Different Weapons

As a rule of thumb, the sword and shield heartbound are meant for martial classes, like the fighter, paladin, or monk, while the rod is meant for 'full casters' like wizards and clerics. A DM might want to forbid a martial class from taking the rod as their heartbound, as this will give them access to powerful magic they should not normally have access to, and the same with a full caster taking a sword heartbound gaining access to powerful martial abilities.

However, it can be fun to have access to abilities a character might not normally have, giving a completely different feeling to a character. Being a paladin with access to powerful magic they might not normally have can be fun, and being a cleric that can attack multiple times and throw their weapon can be fun. Players and DM's should agree on what sort of adventure and powers they want beforehand. The DM can remove the restriction of needing to be proficient with a weapon or shield to use it if they think it's appropriate.

Formchange

Also at 5th level, the heartbound gains the ability to unleash a hidden strength in a short burst of power, tranforming in an effect called formchange. As a bonus action, the heartbound can transform into an enhanced version of itself, or another weapon entirely. Typically this means the weapon gets bigger, but it might mean the weapon becomes swifter. This transformation lasts for one minute and you can use it once. You regain your use of this feature after you complete a short or long rest. You can choose to end your heartbound's formchange on your turn (no action required).

While formchanged, the new weapon gains a damage type other than piercing, slashing, or bludgeoning. The new form, its properties, and extra damage types are decided at the weapon's creation, with bonuses and restrictions based on the type of heartbound it is.

Forchange is magical in nature and if a formchanged heartbound enters an anti-magic field, the transformation ends.

Sword. The new weapon can be any weapon, and you are proficient with the weapon while formchange. A ranged or thrown weapon has the same bonus properties as listed under the style section of this document. While formchanged, your weapon gains the properties of both weapons, ignoring the heavy property if the new weapon possesses it, the weapon losing the light property if the new weapon has the two handed property or the versatile property, and losing the versatile property if the new weapon has the two handed property. The higher damage dice of the two weapons is used for the formchanged weapon. For example, if your weapon started as a scimitar but formchanges into a pike, the new weapon would keep the finesse property and gain the reach and two-handed property while being able to do slashing or piercing damage, and the damage dice becomes 1d10.

If the weapon formchanges into a ranged weapon from a melee weapon or vice-versa, the new weapon can be used as both a ranged weapon and a melee weapon. In either case, the higher damage die is used.

Shield. The new weapon can be any melee weapon, and you are proficient with the weapon while it's formchanged. If the new weapon has the two-handed property, the shield loses its versatile property, and the higher damage dice of the two weapons are used. You are proficient in the new weapon. While formchanged, your heartbound shield still has all the properties of being a shield and is still a finesse weapon. You are proficient in the new weapon.

Rod. The damage type for your formchanged rod is the same as the chosen in the style section of this document. The new weapon can be any ranged weapon, and you are proficient with the weapon while it's formchanged. You use the weapon's chosen spell attack modifier for the attack and damage rolls for the weapon. If the weapon has the light property, you are able to summon two of the weapon. Instead of using the normal and long ranges of the new weapon, the weapon has a range of 60 feet, and you do not suffer disadvantage with ranged weapon attacks made with your formchanged heartbound focus. The weapon conjures its own ammunition when you attack with it and uses the new weapon's damage die size (unless your heartbound focus's damage dice is larger).

While your heartbound focus is formchanged, spells of first level or higher that you cast using it as a focus add your spellcasting modifier to damage rolls.

Aesthetically, you can make the transformation take of the form of a staff, a wand, a guitar, or other 'mystical' shape. Mechanically, it is still treated as the chosen ranged weapon.

Optional 5th Level Feature: Traverse Worlds

The heartbound's most original purpose was to connect to other people's hearts, wherever they might be. This means a heartbound weapon acts as a guiding key that opens pathways to faraway worlds and places to meet the people there and grow one's heart. Your game might not be appropriate for such a thing, though, and this should be considered optional, or moved to a level where it would be more appropriate, maybe even an earlier level.

As an action, you can point your heartbound weapon as a point you can see withing 10 feet of you. This opens a magical portal that lets you and up to five friendly creatures traverse the ethereal plane to The Border Ethereal, as described on in the Dungeon Master's Guide (pg. 48). This portal remains opened for one minute, and no creatures other than the ones you allow can enter it. From The Border Ethereal, you can then use your heartbound weapon to enter a new plane.

While traveling the ethereal plane this way, you can't see out into other planes beyond being able to gain a basic idea of what a plane is like, as the pathways your heartbound weapon open are less direct than other forms of planar travel. You might still meet other creatures on the ethereal plane, both friendly and hostile. The location you arrive at when traveling planes is random unless you know an exact location you want to arrive in that overlaps with The Border Ethereal. Your DM might rule that a plane is unreachable with your heartbound weapon, or there is a disturbance that prevents you from using this feature or choose a specific location.

Straying off of the path your heartbound creates could get you horribly lost, winding up on worlds far, far from your home plane, and facing great dangers.

On Optimal Building and Flavorful Theming

The formchange feature allows for an incredible level of versatility, far more than simply carrying around extra weapons would. The swiftness of being able to switch weapons and damage types can strongly bend the action economy in the player's favor. Having a sword that can suddenly turn into a bow that fires flaming arrows gives players a multitude of options they wouldn't normally have. Having the defensive power of a shield while also being able to deal 2d6+5 lightning damage could also be problematic, and the more sure damage of the rod's ranged weapons could give a spellcaster a surer source of damage to fall back on and, again, options they might not have had normally.

As a DM, the final decision is yours on what this weapon is. Here are two somewhat conflicting pieces of advice; put having fun first, and don't let players focus too much on an optimal build. Having a heartbound that starts as a shortsword and grows into a greatsword should be just as valid as a pike that turns into a longbow or a shield that becomes a whip. The point of a heartbound weapon is to show off the user's heart, not 'win the game'. Put emphasis on the flavor of the weapon, and let players enjoy what they get in any way they can.

Formchange+

At 9th level, your heartbound can formchange into something even stronger, gaining more effects and bonuses while transformed. The bonuses depend on your heartbound's style.

Sword. While formchanged, your heartbound weapon's damage dice increases by one die size (1d4 to 1d6, 1d6 to 1d8, ect...). If the weapon's damage dice is 1d12, it becomes 2d6. If it's 2d6, it becomes 2d8. In addition, while your weapon is transformed, you can add your strength or dexterity modifier (your choice) to your spell's attack and damage rolls, and your spell save DC.
Shield. While formchanged, your shield gains the thrown (20/60) property, and immediately returns to your hand after being thrown. You also gain a bonus to your saving throws equal to the AC bonus provided by your shield. Additionally, as a reaction to acreature within 20 feet of you other than yourself being targeted by an attack or effect that forces them to make a saving throw, you can add the bonus provided by your shield to their AC and saving throws until the end of the current turn. You must decide to do this before the attack roll or saving throw is made.
Rod. The range of your formchanged focus's weapon attacks becomes 100 feet. Additionally, when you successfully hit a target with a weapon attack from your formchanged heartbound focus, you can cast a spell centered on it other than a spell with a target of self. For example, if your chosen spell has a range of touch, you cast the spell as if you are close enough to the target while still making the appropriate attack rolls (if needed). If the spell moves in a line like lightning bolt, the spell is cast as if the struck target is the origin point for the casting of the spell (while moving in a straight line away from you).

If a spell has a positive effect, such as cure wounds, you can treat the spell as having a range of 100 feet while your heartbound focus is formchanged and you are using it to cast spells. Aura effects are not affected by this.

You also gain a hover speed equal to your walking speed while your heartbound focus is formchanged.

You now regain the use of your formchange on a short or long rest.

Ability Up

At 13th level, your training with your heartbound manifests in a new outward stength, not needing to formchange your heartbound to call upon this new power. You gain a new feature based on your heartbound's style.

Sword. When you take the attack action on your turn or cast a spell as an action, you can make one more attack with your heartbound weapon as a bonus action. On your turn, you can replace one of your attacks with the casting of a spell that as a casting time of an action or bonus action. In addition, you don't need your weapon to be formchanged to use the alternate damage type you normally gain from it that is not bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. If your weapon has the loading property, normal or formchanged, you now ignore it.

Your walking speed also increases by 10 feet.
Shield. The damage dice for your shield becomes 1d8 and gives resistance to the damage type chosen in the forchange feature. In addition, you don't need your weapon to be formchanged to use the alternate damage type you normally can use from it being formchanged that is not bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. As a reaction after a creature you can see fails to hit you with an attack, or you succeed on saving throw against a creature you can see, you make an attack against the creature with your heartbound shield. You add the bonus your heartbound shield currently provides to your AC to the attack roll.

You also gain the ability to, as a reaction after a creature you can see fails to hit you with an attack, or you succeed on saving throw against a creature you can see, cast a spell with a casting time of an action or a bonus action. The target must be within 10 feet of you, and you target the spell centered on the target. If the spell has an area of effect, such the spell fireball, you and any creatures you choose up to your heartbound shield's current bonus to your AC are unaffected by the spell.

Rod. Your heartbound focus's damage dice increases to 1d6. In addition, you don't need your weapon to be formchanged to use the alternate damage type you normally can use from it being formchanged. You gain access to a 6th level spell from any spell list. This spell is decided at the moment of the weapon's creation. The spell is added to your prepared spells (assuming you have the spell slots to cast it). You are able to cast the spell once without expending spell slots. Once you have cast this spell this way, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.

Mark of Mastery

At 17th level, you have mastered the use of your heartbound, and a mark of mastery is etched into your being. It is not a mark that can be physically seen, but instead shows itself in the way you carry yourself. Your heartbound gains new bonuses based on the style of your heartbound weapon.

Sword. Your heartbound weapon adds an extra die to the damage rolls of your heartbound weapon attacks. As an example, if the damage dice for your heartbound weapon is 1d8, it is now 2d8. If your heartbound weapon formchanges into something that deals 1d10 damage, it now deals 2d10 damage. A weapon that deals 2d6 damage normally or 2d8 damage after formchange still only gains one die, becoming 3d6 or 3d8 respectively.

While your heartbound weapon is formchanged and you deal damage to a creature with a weapon attack or spell, you can choose to double the damage dice used to determine damage. You cannot do this if the attack was a critical hit. Once you have done this, your heartbound weapon's formchange immediately ends.
Shield. Your heartbound shield grants you resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage while wielding your heartbound shield. You have immunity to the damage type chosen for the heartbound shield in the formchange feature.

While formchanged, your heartbound shield gains superior defensive capabilities. When you take damage of any type, you can choose to halve the damage (no action required). You then become immune to the damage you took until the end of your next turn, and cannot use this effect again until the end of your next turn as well. As a reaction to a creature taking damage within 20 feet of you, you can give this defense to them, halving the initial damage and making them immune to the damage type until the end of their next turn. This immunity ends if your formchange ends while it is happening.

When you take damage while your heartbound shield is formchanged, you gain one charge, up to a maximum of of charges equal to the bonus to your AC your heartbound shield is providing. As an action, you can expend these charges and unleash the stored energy. Each creature of your choice within 20 feet of you must make a Dexterity saving throw against your heartbound weapon's spell save DC. On a failure, a creature takes 2d8 damage of a type your heartbound shield can deal for each expended charge, or half as much on a success. Once you have done this, your heartbound shield's formchange immediately ends. All charges disappear when your heartbound shield's formchange ends.
Rod. Your heartbound focus's damage dice increases to 1d8. Your heartbound focus gives you advantage on saving throws against spells and magical effects, representing your mastery over magic. In addition, when you fail a saving throw against a spell or magical effect, you can choose to succeed instead. You can do this three times, and regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

While your Heartbound Focus is formchanged, you can cast any spell you have prepared of 5th level or lower as if it were cast with an 7th level spell slot. Once you have done so and the spell ends, your heartbound focus's formchange immediately ends. If the spell's duration is longer than the remaining duration of your heartbound focus's formchange, the spell ends when the formchange ends.

Example Heartbound

The previous section can seem dense and convoluted at first glance, and a second glance would reveal this to be true. Like a heart, a heartbound weapon is complex. However, once a heartbound comes together, they are much easier to understand, so unlike the hearts of men, elf, gnome, orc, or whatever else exists out in the worlds.

The following are five example heartbound to give an idea of what one might look like. As heartbound weapons are more common and varied than shields and focuses, there are two more of those.

Kingdom Key

Heartbound weapon (warhammer), artifact (requires attunement by a fighter, paladin, or warlock with Pact of the Blade with a wisdom score of 12)

This key shaped weapon has the weight and balance of a longsword, but it's blunt edge can make it seem less deadly. This reflects the heart of the boy whose heart this weapon was born from. Kind and gentle, but fierce when it came to defending his friends, his heart always guided him towards his friends and protecting them, and nothing would stop him.

Kingdom Key imposes the following special properties while you are attuned to it.

Defender. The heart of this boy would never give up. While you are below half of your total hit points and wielding Kingdom Key, you gain a +1 bonus to your AC.

Not the Sharpest. The boy whose heart Kingdom Key was born from didn't entirely understand what was going on around him most of the time. You have disadvantage on investigation skill checks.

Bound to Your Heart. As a weapon of the heart, Kingdom Key is bound to yours while you are attuned to it. You can dismiss Kingdom Key into the confines of your heart, storing it in a demiplane located within. You can do this on your turn with no action required. You can summon Kingdom Key from your heart to your hand with a bonus action. While Kingdom Key is within 60 feet of you and you can see it, you can summon it to your hand as a bonus action.

If another creature is holding Kingdom Key while you are trying to summon it and wishes to keep it, you both make an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check in a contest (each creature chooses). If you win, Kingdom Key returns to your hand. If the opposing creature wins, it stays in their grasp.